A WELL-known Keighley businessman has made another anti-litter film after his first was a massive hit on YouTube.

Thomas Black, former joint chairman of Peter Black Holdings in Keighley, said the amount of rubbish dumped in the countryside and built-up areas was “a disgrace”.

His first film, Don’t Drop Litter or Else!, has attracted 200,000 hits since it went online three years ago. Now he has followed that up with footage including a song inspired by George Formby’s iconic When I’m Cleaning Windows. The film, called Cleaning Up the Lay-Bys, has been created in conjunction with Yorkshire video production company Dexter Media.

“I was completely bowled over by the success of Don’t Drop Litter Or Else! which clearly struck a chord with many people,” said Mr Black, who lives in Ilkley.

“The rapidly increasingly amount of litter in our towns and cities, as well as our countryside, is a national disgrace.

“People who drop litter are ignorant, selfish and uneducated.

“This time around I have enlisted the help of exceptionally talented writer and ex-regional manager of Marks & Spencer John Hirst – who has changed the lyrics of When I’m Cleaning Windows to When I’m Dropping Litter – and equally talented ukulele and banjo player John Toothill, who provides the music.

“They are supported by a superb dance troupe, arranged and led by Skipton choreographer Howard Bullock.”

He added: “Although this is a light-hearted parody, with some amusing lyrics and an appearance by myself, the anti-litter message is as hard-hitting as ever.

“I believe the film makes it clear that dropping litter of any sort is anti-social, bad for the environment and eventually hits us all in the pocket.

“Litter is an absolute disaster and it is up to all of us, including manufacturers and fast-food outlets, to start being proactive and take this issue seriously.”

Mr Black will be sending copies of his film, which was shot in the Denton area of Ilkley, to secondary schools across Yorkshire to help educate students about the importance of keeping the environment tidy.

And as part of his campaign, he is also pursuing several other initiatives.

He is pressing for corporate sponsorship of stretches of litter-strewn roads and railway embankments, and encouraging supermarkets to reduce packaging and fast-food outlets to give money off coffee and soft drinks to customers who provide their own cups.

Mr Black added: “It is estimated that several billion pounds of local government money is spent on refuse management every year. It therefore follows that less litter means more money for education, the police, the social services etc – and it would also help to keep council tax lower.”

When I'm Dropping Litter...

Here's a sample of the lyrics penned by John Hirst:

NOW I go cleaning lay-bys although it’s quite a job,

I do my bit I shovel it, what’s left there by the yobs.

You’d be amazed who dumps stuff there, some lazy slobs just unaware

and greedy villains who don’t care

filthying the lay-bys.

Chucking rubbish from their cars,

empty bottles from the bars,

donations from the doggy’s **** filthying the laybys.

I don’t suppose slobs heed a word, help me dob ’em in,

rubbish, trash and garbage,

each one a filthy sin.

Tesco wrappers for the rats, nails and glass to cut the cats,

damn the bloomin’ sociopaths

filthying the lay-bys.